The Waiting Game

Transferring is not a fun process if you really don’t know where you stand. I believe many students find themselves in this situation because they come from lower tiered schools and they really don’t know where they have a shot at. From my experience, if you take a logical guess, you’re probably right. Don’t get me wrong, crazy things have happened. I’ve heard stories about people jumping from tier 4’s to Georgetown and similar experiences but all I’m saying is that it isn’t likely.

Apply to reach schools, but remember to apply within your means. It’s good to leave your options open but don’t apply to a bunch of schools you know you really won’t go to. I did this and it really complicated things toward the end because I applied to a few easy schools to get my confidence up and it really confused me about where I wanted to go.

If you are a in the top hundred already, I would shoot for the stars. If you are in a tier 4 school, I would be more reasonable. Much of it is really based on need, and if you do some research you will realize that some really good schools take a lot of transfers. Florida State is one that takes over 50 transfers a semester. Some schools seem to be feeder schools for tier 4’s in the area. I’m not saying don’t apply to your dream school. I’m only saying that you shouldn’t be surprised if it turns out that a school that you thought was over your head is actually over your head. But, hey, it’s your money.